I have a habit of late-night shopping online and after years of it, my bedroom had become a bit of a mess. After serious decluttering, I realized I wasn't utilizing the storage space in my ottoman bed properly and it was a real lost opportunity to get organized.
That's when I delved into storage solutions that were perfect for my long dresses, out of season clothes, sentimental items and much more. After lots of trial and error, these are the four storage items that have turbocharged how I keep things in my ottoman bed and helped clear my messy closet.
Under-bed storage ideas are fabulously useful if you need more space to stash your things, and don't want to add freestanding units or build in items that will take up floor space.
1. Vacuum storage bags
I store out of season clothes such as coats, jumpers, summer dresses and swimwear in vacuum storage bags such as the Cozy Essential Store 20 pack on Amazon and it's a game-changer. Simply store your clothes inside to the capacity indicated on the packaging, zip shut, and use your vacuum hose to suck the air out of the whole bag.
Once it won't shrink down anymore, pop the cap on to keep it vacuum packed. Now you have all your out of season clothes stored under your ottoman bed at a quarter of its previous size. It's magic.
My top tip for this is to wash them all before you seal them so when you take them out next time, they're ready for use. Forgetting to clean them before storing is something people with nice smelling closets never do.
I've found the luxurious clean laundry smell I get from scented laundry beads (such as Downy Light Orange Blossom laundry beads on Amazon) or using a cheap essential oil dryer hack stays with the items right through to next year, even if it's a year from now.
It's best however to avoid storing delicate silk items or things with hard edges in these bags.
All prices correct at time of writing.
A multi-pack like this is perfect for vacuum storage of various out of season items from your closet. Use the smaller ones to keep swimwear or t-shirts in, and the larger ones for coats or bedding.
2. Garment bags
When having our fitted floor-to-ceiling small closet idea built for our small primary bedroom, I opted for my space to be split between hanging rail and drawers underneath. However, it means there is no space for long dresses to hang without being folded, as pictured below.
I instead utilized the storage space under my ottoman bed to keep these packed away because let's be honest, I'm not going anywhere fancy often enough to have my evening gowns hanging in my wardrobe ready to go at the drop of a hat.
I use linen bags and store the dresses flat in my under-bed storage area, on top of the other. The material let's them breath, but I have included moth balls with no clinging odor, available on Amazon, in each after one horrifying moment when I saw a moth take flight when I took out my wedding dress to check over.
This pack of two garment bags has a handy viewing window to make it easy to find the item you're looking for. Use them in your closet if you have the space, or pack under your ottoman bed like I have to clear up room in your closet for more often used clothing.
This 10-pack, highly-rated moth repellent is a great alternative to moth balls and can be used in your closet by hanging on the rail in between your clothes, or packed inside your garment bags.
Pop a few drops of your favorite essential oil on a wet cloth and throw it in y our dryer in the last 15 minutes of the cycle to naturally scent your clothes before packing them away for winter or summer. This set is a great starter to learning what fragrances you prefer.
3. Clear storage boxes
I use clear, lidded plastic storage boxes under my ottoman storage bed space to house clusters of items for particular tasks, such as wrapping gifts or posting parcels. Having a clear box that is lidded means you can spot what you need easily and lift it out to use, without spilling its contents everywhere.
I used a plastic box I packed items into when moving house and had a label on it showing what's inside, so it doesn't matter that my lid, pictured above, is not transparent.
however, if you're purchasing a new one, pick a clear one or use Amazon's Choice label maker to clearly mark what's inside.
I place the plastic boxes I need the content of a few times a year at the foot of my ottoman bed storage space so I'm not having to scramble halfway in to get what I need, so consider your placement for ease of use.
Lots of templates, Bluetooth enabled, inkless printing - what's not to love? No wonder this is a bestseller year-round. This deal is rarely seen so snap it up while it's on for Amazon's Big Deal Day.
This six-pack of 5 liter bins are super handy for organization under your ottoman bed. Just make sure you measure the depth of your space so there is enough clearance when you drop your mattress back down.
These clear shoe storage boxes are great for keeping your collection protected but out of sight. Use them under your bed for occasion or seasonal footwear, or stack them them in your entryway. Measures 20.5" X 12.5" X 5.5" but other sizes available.
4. Reusing boxes and zipper bags
Instead of investing in all-new bedroom storage ideas, I used the boxes I had laying around, either stacked on drawers, by my bed or elsewhere in the room and my house to house things I want to keep but don't always need immediate access to, as pictured above.
This helped declutter my bedroom, and keep my sentimental items such as photo albums, baby clothes and my pregnancy scans and diaries somewhere safe that isn't at risk of spoiling. For instance, there are things you should never store in a basement as they usually lack climate control and can be prone to condensation or moisture.
Take a look around your home and see what you can move to, or utilize well under your ottoman bed. I also re-used plastic zipper bags with handles that pillows and other bedding are often shipped in to keep hold of items such as my daughter's baby shoes.
Next, delve into small bedroom storage mistakes to see how you too can clear out space and bolster your room's funtionality.
